Answering the biggest questions about the last four wild men

We still process how the Houston Cougars and Florida Gators gathered in the comebacks in the second half in the second half to beat Duke or Auburn in the men’s finals on Saturday evening.

What happened to Duke? What was most impressive about Houston? And where does this pair of Stunner belong in the history books?

Our college basketball analysts answer the urgent questions after an exciting night in the alamodome in San Antonio.

What has happened to Duke’s offense in the last 10 minutes?

Well, the most efficient crime for almost 30 years has only achieved one field gate in the last 10:30 – but a few things caused it.

One: Houston’s defense is still elite. Even won as Duke, the Blue Devils were not particularly efficient in terms of the offensive. In the first half, they had two skinny gates of more than four minutes and outside of a occasional outbreak by Kon Knueppel in the first half or in the second half of Sion James War Cooper Flagg was the only consistent crime.

The head coach of Houston, Kelvin Sampson, said after the game that the Cougars flag would not let them beat. Houston was his usual physical self, and the complete press of the Cougars in the last few minutes created an absolute chaos for Duke.

It was a combination of a breathtaking offensive collapse for Duke and a desperate defense in Houston. – Jeff Borzello

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Did Cooper Flagg play the right game with his last shot?

Jay Williams and Seth Greenberg criticize Duke’s shocking 70-67 loss and loan in Houston’s incredible resistance.

What was the most impressive part of Houston’s comeback?

Houston’s offensive production in the last few minutes was the most impressive part of his comeback. Yes, a team with No. 1 defense in America converted a squad with the most efficient crime in the history of the Kenpom database (since 1996-97) into a group that could not make a shot late.

The Blue Devils only achieved one field gate in the last 10:31. But to win the victory, the Cougars also had to produce a miraculous offensive display. With 8:17, Houston only had 45 points, ended at 70 after exceeding the rest of the path with 25: 8. With 1:26 to play, the Cougars had still dropped by seven points. Although her defense created these value creation, Sampson’s squad (74th in the national level) had to make a flood of shots to enforce them. That was the most impressive element of the rally. – Myron Medcalf

What impressed you the most between the two games?

Houston’s comeback was extraordinary, one of the five largest in the last four history, but gave me Walter Clayton Jr.’s performance against Auburn. The Florida guard was the Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier of this NCAA tournament, and Clayton makes it stunning and makes the competitive shot competitive.

Bruce Pearl threw everything to Clayton, including the changeover of the large wings Miles Kelly and Chad Baker-Mazara. They tried to ward off Clayton from ball screens so that he had no clean look at his left, where he is so fatal. But none of this was important. The defense was sometimes so good that I was not even convinced that Clayton could see the entire basket on some shots-he made 6-of-12-fought shots on Saturday evening. But that is part of what made him the most electrical player in the NCAA tournament. He is the best guard in College basketball. And now he is doing history with the most points (34) of a player in a last four victory since 1981 Pro ESPN research. – Borzello

It has to be Houston’s attitude. Clayton’s 34-point effort against Auburn would have been the most impressive moment in most last four. But Houston was exceptional in the way in which the largest stage of sport was under pressure in the last few minutes. And the Cougars did not also play a few people a Duke team who was the favorite who won the national title for weeks, a group that was led by the fourth newcomer who ever won the Wooden Award. Nevertheless, the Cougars never fell apart. Your opponent did it.

It is rare that something happens in the last four that feels for the first time. But Duke’s collapse and the comeback from Houston were both unprecedented. – Medcalf

This was the best set of semi -finals since …

This is the best few semi -finals since 2019 when Texas Tech defeated Michigan State and Virginia Auburn. The latter game ended with a late foul of Auburn and playing gaming free throws from Virginia, a sequence that came after a double dribble from Virginias Ty Jerome.

The state of Michigan had defeated a duchy team that Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett showed eight in the elite. Although the Spartans had lost against the Red Raiders that night, Aaron Henry’s Layup had cut the Michigan deficit to play with 2:55 to play. Nevertheless, the games on Saturday were two of the greatest in the last four history. – Medcalf

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Alijah Martin rises for a thundering Florida Dunk

Alijah Martin gets the theft and flies for a runaway for Florida against Auburn.

What are you most happy about the title on Monday?

Clayton against Houston’s defense.

I have already grown poetically about how well Clayton was over the entire season and the entire NCAA tournament was, as he stands on a historical run to the title game-the first player with consecutive 30 points in the elite eight and the national semi-finals since Larry Bird in 1979. But he has not seen Houston’s defense. And a Sampson defense is a completely different thing. Can he deal with the physicality of the Cougars? Can he still create consistent appearance? On the other hand, it will be interesting to see whether Houston is offering folds to slow down the all-American of the first team.

As good as the defense of the Cougars is, Houston will let the teams shoot 3 points. And that’s not a good idea against Clayton. – Borzello

I am very happy to see how two of the best storylines of College basketball end.

Clayton was a subordinate view from Florida that Rick Pitino found and signed in Iona. Clayton developed into an all-American in Florida, and if he has another extraordinary effort on Monday, he becomes one of the heroes of the NCAA tournament. But Sampson, who turns 70 later this year, is one of the best trainerans in the game. And the only thing that is missing in his resume is a national title. He is already a candidate for the Basketball Hall of Fame, but a national championship will bring him to another category among his colleagues. – Medcalf